Brian Reynolds has been a bilateral below the knee amputee since the age of 4, due to meningococcemia. That didn’t stop him from growing up active, constantly striving to exceed his last accomplishment. He became an avid endurance hiker, through the trails of the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Yosemite National Park and the Inca Trail in Peru. He’s climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro! The Mt. Kilimanjaro climb was just one of the many charity fundraisers in which Brian participates. He raised $10,000 for Climb for Sight, the fundraising program of Vision for the Poor, providing needed eye surgeries for children in developing countries. Brian was born in Boston, MA and moved to New Jersey last year, where he lives with his wife, also an avid hiker and runner. He joined a Paralympic Track Club in NJ and has been training for sprinting in the hopes of making the 2016 Paralympics. Brian is now trying to win Runner’s World Cover Photo Contest. Voting is open through August 26th. He has Sunshine Prosthetics and Orthotics’ vote!
INSPIRATIONS BLOG
2014 Celebration of Heroes Heart and Hope gala
The Challenged Athletes Foundation’s 2014 Celebration of Heroes, Heart and Hope gala was a huge success. Thanks to the generosity of their sponsors, guests and incredible honoree William Ackman, they raised a record-breaking $2.3 MILLION this year!On Wednesday evening June 11, Brooke Artesi, CPO, LPO, founder and owner of Sunshine Prosthetics and Orthotics in Wayne, NJ attended the Gala in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City, filled with 850 supporters to celebrate challenged athletes who grow STRONGER through sports. The event was filled with touching moments of strength and love, tales of remarkable athletic prowess and uplifting examples of how a dedicated community changes lives.
Bob Buck and The Eastern Amputee Golf Association (EAGA)
Bob Buck has been a below knee amputee for the past forty-four years. In early 1969, Bob had an automobile accident breaking both tibia and fibula and was on crutches for a year trying to save his right leg. Finally in April 1970, after over a year’s battle with osteomyelitis, Bob made the decision to have his leg amputated.
In 1987 he formed the Eastern Amputee Golf Association and it was incorporated in 1987 in Pennsylvania as a non-profit, non-partisan, non-sectarian charitable organization. Although its name indicates it’s “Eastern”, members are from all over the world and US. Their mission is to assist in the rehabilitation of amputees and provide for their general welfare, both physical and psychological, through the medium of golf and its associated activities. They provide yearly College Scholarships from their fund raising efforts and Instructional Golf Videos for People with Diabilities.
Team USA – Paralympics Inspirations
USA TEAM PARALYMPICS 2014
To all the members of the 2014 USA Paralympics Team – Sunshine Prosthetics & Orthotics is so proud of you – your drive, your energies, your commitments and your spirits. You are all winners!
Tatanya McFadden – Paralympic Medalist, Equality Advocate
“Sports is my passion, paving access for others is my purpose”
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1988, with an underdeveloped spinal cord resulting in paralysis below the waist and a hole in her spine, a condition known as spina bifida, Tatyana was left untreated for 3 weeks before doctors operated. Only her innate strength of will kept her alive.